BattleTech Save Editor

Mods Battletech
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SaveEditor

a save editor for HBS’s BattleTech PC game

This editor allows you to modify your save files.
BattleTechSaveEditor.exe (40.1 MB)

Notes:
I recommend having a backup of your save before you modify it (just in case). If you are modifying a steam save, you will need to keep the save file name the same or it wont show up.

Current Abilities:

  • Change your company’s Funds
  • Add/Remove items to your inventory (weapons, equipment, mech chassis, etc…)
  • Scan your BattleTech installation directory to make adding inventory easier
  • Pilot Skills and Abilities can be edited
  • Change your access to the Black market
  • Change your reputation with the major factions
  • remove star systems and contracts to recover saves from mod removal (in some cases)
  • move to any star system (still experimental)
  • Add and Remove the mechs in your mechbay

Ideas for Future Abilities:

  • Edit the mechs in your mechbay
  • replay Flashpoints
  • resurrect fallen pilots
  • add new pilots
  • allow Ronin pilots to appear for hire again

Known Problems/Limitations

  • Currently only available for 64 bit windows (I have tested Windows 10, but older versions should work)

This mod is only available on Mods In Exile, if you have downloaded it from somewhere else it has been stolen and I cannot guarantee it is free of malware. Nexus also hosts an older version that I am unable to remove from distribution.

Common Problems and Questions

How Do I use this tool?

  1. Open the Save Editor
  2. Click on “Load” button from the “Load/Save” options on the main screen and select the savefile you want to modify.
    2a. If you don’t know where to find your savefiles, refer to this forum post. Needed support logs & save locations | Paradox Interactive Forums
    2b. No clue which save file you want to actually modify? This can be easily identified when sorting files by “modification date”.
  3. Click on “Scan” button from the “Scan Installation” options on the main screen and proceed to wait until it finishes the process.
  4. Edit your savefile with the save editor tool as needed.
  5. Click on the “Save” button from the “Load/Save” options on the main screen and overwrite file.

How do I use the Bulk Add Feature?
the bulk add feature uses a CSV file to add many items to your inventory at once. the CSV should have no headers for its columns. the First column shall be the item’s Type (valid values are what the save editor shows in the ‘Type’ field on the inventory tab (not the dropdown). the Second column shall be the ID of the item (from its JSON file) the final column shall be how many of the item should be in the inventory (ie it does not add to what is already there, it simply replaces it with this new value).

How do I use the custom portrait feature for pilots?
the custom portrait feature requires another mod to load the portraits into the game and make changes so that the commander can have a custom portrait (such as Commander Portrait Loader). to adjust the portrait simply check the use Custom portrait checkbox and enter the ID of the portrait. For Commander Portrait Loader this is the name of the file minus its path and extension. Please note that this change is a one-way change (once you add a custom portrait the editor does not currently support going back to a non-custom portrait)

I found a bug or have a strange issue, how do I report them?
To help me debug the issue you are seeing, please provide me with a clear description of the issue, steps to reproduce, a save that replicates the issue, the game logs and the log from the editor. you can send these to me via google drive, drop box or discord (@Jamie Wolf) through the battletech game discord (or roguetech, or battletech 3025 extended, or BTA 3062). feel free to post them here as a comment, a bug or as a private message.

Does it work with mods?
Mods that use Modtek to load into the game should be picked up by the scan function. I have used it just fine with BTA 3062, 3025 Extended and RogueTech. If you run into problems, report them to me with mods you are using, an example save and the output log from the game.

How do I add Mechs?
Open the Mechbay editor tab, select the mech you want to add (you must perform a scan first to find mechs). Press add to mechbay

Pilot Skills and Ability editing
the Editor allows you to setup pilots however you want, do be careful however I have not tested how the game reacts if you set an ability twice or an ability without the skill needed for it so bad things may result. For any modpack using abilifier pilot editing is restricted due to how the editor expects pilots to work and how abilifier changes that

I use ME, RT or XLRP and when I add a mech it is not valid
Using Mech Engineer or a mod that depends on it (RogueTech, XLRP) complicates the mech adding process because the mech files do not contain all the extra components that ME adds to a mech. Adding fully functional mechs is still possible but requires a few extra steps and a recent version of CustomComponents to work. Steps are detailed by the ‘ME/RT/XLRP Help’ button in the editor. Huge thanks to Denadan for adding support into CC that makes this possible.

I added MECHPARTs to my inventory but no mech shows up in my mech bay
Mechparts work differently than you might expect, the game never expects that there are enough parts in your inventory to complete a whole mech (otherwise it should have given you the mech), furthermore it only checks if a mech should be added when it goes to add a part of that mech to your inventory. Adding enough mechparts to complete a mech (or more) can cause the game to behave strangely so I do not recommend trying it .

My modified save fails to load if I edit it while the game is open
This is due to the way the game is designed. the game does some pre-allocation for the save games, modifying a save may cause it to grow (or shrink), this means the game will fail to load the modified save due to the pre-allocated buffer being too small. restarting the game or editing a save while the game is closed will work around this.

ChangeLog:

  • Version 2.2.4

    • Compatibility with RogueTech Post MechRider releases

  • Version 2.2.2

    • Improved Scan compatibility with RogueTech
    • Disable Pilot Skill editting when Abilifier is detected to be in use
    • Various Bug fixes

  • Version 2.1.0

    • Add a workaround for BEX 1.9 Clan mechs not showing up (BEX has also fixed the issue on their side in their next release)
    • Disabled Mechbay Add support for ME based mods, their are bugs I dont have time to address and too many users had issues with the instructions to make it work, Vanilla mechs (and some ME mechs) work fine
    • Adds ability to edit pilot tags/quirks
    • Adds ability to modify pilot voices

  • Version 2.0.7

    • [BugFix]: Handle cases where pilot names somehow contain a null character

  • Version 2.0.6

    • [BugFix]: remove accidental dependency on optional data structure within the save data

  • Version 2.0.5

    • [BugFix]: Fix TSM not showing up in 1.9.1 scan
    • Improve json handling in assetbundles
    • Add the ability to remove requires DLC tags

  • Version 2.0.4

    • [BugFix]: Fixed an issue with adding mechs to the mechbay when the mechbay was empty
    • Add the ability to export inventory to a CSV file

  • Version 2.0.3

    • [BugFix]: Fix an issue that would cause a save to fail to load into the editor if a pilot had no last name

  • Version 2.0.2

    • [BugFix]: Fix compatibility with Pre-1.8 saves that 2.0.1 broke
    • [BugFix]: Fix a serializer crash that could occur with non-utf8 encoded json files
    • [BugFix]: Also remove required mods from the save file metadata when removing a mod from the required list
    • Increase the MedTech and MechTech limits to account for the higher values used by BEX-CE

  • Version 2.0.1

    • Added the ability to remove mods from the required mods list (right click then select remove mod), Use at your own risk

  • Version 2.0.0

    • Migrated to latest version of numerous libraries
    • Updated UI Skin
    • Adds support for BT 1.8
    • Added the ability to adjust MechTech & MedTech levels in a new Company Options editor
    • Added the ability to Bulk add items to the inventory from a CSV (see Common Questions for documentation)
    • Adds a High DPI Mode support (press Toggle DPI to switch modes)
    • Adds support for Heavy Metal
    • Improves handling for malformed JSON files
    • Adds the ability to see what mods are associated with a save (BT 1.8 required, HBS mod loader only)
    • Adds support for Scanning the HBS Modloader mods (when pressing scan you will be asked for the type of mods to scan for)
    • the Scan button will now be disabled until a save is loaded (this helps address complaints of missing items)
    • Save Cleaning is disabled on BT 1.8 and newer Saves (HBS has addressed the underlying issue that the cleanup was tackling)
    • numerous small fixes

  • Version 1.7.1

    • [BugFix]: Unicode problems company tags
    • BattleTech 1.7 support

  • Version 1.7.0

    • Updated UI Skin
    • Compatability for RogueTech for 1.6 & Urban Warfare
    • Added the ability to add Mechs from Mech Designer files (requires Mech Designer 0.77 or newer)
    • various bug fixes

  • Version 1.6.7

    • [BugFix]: Fixed an issue that prevented 1.6.6 from being able to add mechs to the mechbay

  • Version 1.6.6

    • More RT compatibility improvements

  • Version 1.6.5

    • [BugFix]: Fix DLC mechs and equipment not being found by vanilla scan (regression in 1.6.4)

  • Version 1.6.4

    • RT compatibility improvements

  • Version 1.6.3

    • [BugFix]: more gracefully handling UTF-8 BOM encodings

  • Version 1.6.2

    • [Bugfix]: Fix an issue that prevents a mech from being added to the mechbay if certain stats are not in the save
    • [Bugfix]: Fix an issue that causes no mechs to be shown in the mechbay in certain cases
    • Improve logging when a mech add fails

  • Version 1.6.1

    • Improved logging support for mods

  • Version 1.6.0

    • Mechs can now be removed from the MechBay
    • Mechs can now be added to the MechBay
    • Pilots XP can now be edited
    • Support for Urban Warfare mechs
    • Improved scan support for various mods
    • Improved scan logging when a file cannot be parsed as valid json
    • minor performance improvements
    • a few UI tweaks
    • Improved mod compatibility

  • Version 1.5.4

    • Enhance logging

  • Version 1.5.3

    • [BugFix]: Fix a background thread crash when trying to load a save that pre-dates the flashpoint release

  • Version 1.5.2

    • [BugFix]: Fixed an issue that could cause a crash when deleting multiple inventory items at once

  • Version 1.5.1

    • [BugFix]: Make save clean up more rubust
    • [BugFix]: Fix a build node problem that resulted in the last release not being able to scan flashpoint mechs

  • Version 1.5.0

    • Adds a company tags editor, this is primarily for modders but can be used to do other things as well
    • Adds a save clean up button. this will attempt to clean up bloated data that causes long campaigns and careers to slow down considerably. (primarily for RT users)

  • Version 1.4.0

    • [BugFix]: Fixed an issue that could result in pilots receiving duplicated traits and health in certain situations
    • Mechs in the flashpoint DLC are now picked up by an installation scan
    • More Factions can now have their reputation edited (including your MRB rating)
    • Added an editors menubar, which can be used to open additional edit tabs
    • Added a Contracts editor, this will show all current contracts, and can be used to delete contracts (right click the table) (can be used to recover saves)
    • Added a Mech editor that allows Mechs in the save to be viewed (this includes your mechbay mechs and enemy mechs currently), read only for now
    • Added a Star System editor that can be used to view the star systems present in the save
    • Star systems can be deleted from a save (right click the table) (can be used for save recovering)
    • [Experimental]: Player can warp to a selected star system (there may still be bugs with this, use with caution)
    • Editor tabs may now be closed
    • various minor bug fixes and tweaks

  • Version 1.3.0

    • [BugFix]: Fixed an issue with incorrect length calculation of Fixed32 wiretype fields
    • [BugFix]: Fixed an issue that prevented correct encoding when certain data structures grew beyond 128 entries in size
    • Simplified Pilot ability editing
    • Add the ability to change pilot portraits to custom portraits, these must be loaded by another mod such as: Commander Portrait Loader (Note: this is currently a one way street, you cannot go back to a regular portrait after switching)
    • Moved the installation scan button to the main UI from the inventory editor tab (mostly for future plans)
    • Improved the scan functionality
    • Shrunk the minimum size of the editor to just below 720p for those with smaller screens
    • The last used load and scan paths are now stored so that the editor will remember them
    • Greatly improved load and save performance

  • Version 1.2.1

    • New Icon, provided by JustinKase (Big Thanks!)
    • [BugFix]: Pilots with non-ascii characters in their name can now load and be edited
    • [BugFix]: Fixed an issue when scanning if modtek was not present
    • [BugFix]: Fixed a compatibility problem with with CAB 2.4 when scanning
    • [BugFix]: the scanner will no longer silently crash, it will now get a little more in your face about it
    • Added a log output, this should be used when reporting issues with the scanner

  • Version 1.2.0

    • [BugFix]: Re-saving a file without reloading, now actually saves now
    • Black Market access can now be turned on and off
    • Faction reputation with each of the Great Houses, House Centrella, House Calderon and Pirates is now editable
    • Scanning now supports Mods that use Modtek!
    • Improved the scanner’s error handling when malformed JSON or patching JSON files are scanned

  • Version 1.1.3

    • [BugFix]: Correctly Calculate Pilot Health (was previously adding too much health)
    • [BugFix]: Fixed an issue that would cause every save edit to take up one more pilot berth, eventually leading to a full berth without adding any pilots

  • Version 1.1.2

    • [BugFix]: Pilots not in your roster no longer show up for editing
    • [BugFix]: Deleting an item from your inventory after sorting the table now deletes the item instead of a random item

  • Version 1.1.1

    • Minor UI layout adjustments
    • Inventory table can now be sorted
    • Empty Inventory entries can now be hidden

  • Version 1.1.0

    • Pilot Skills and Abilities can now be edited
    • Inventory items can now be removed (right click on the item in the inventory table)
    • minor UI adjustments

  • Version 1.0.0

    • Initial Release
1 Like
2

The scanner cannot seem to find the json files. The default directory shows up as empty. What directory should I be under?

3

I suggest an “Add everything in selected category” in the inventory editor.

4

Where do you want us to report bugs?

5

Hello! Thank you for creating this wonderful tool!

Could you please add an option to add everything in the category? It would be nice to not need to scroll over hundreds of positions to find what I might need. (I just don’t want to spend another 300 hours grinding for stuff)

7

having the same problem.

8

This saved me from a problem. Works great. This sounds strange but any chance you would add the option to edit pilot background, names and callsign of the pilots that have the customization button grayed out? I was curious about changing the starter pilot details from the campaign but it won’t let you. I tried to alter the json files of those pilots and I noticed that once you start the game that it no longer looks at the source json so it wouldn’t update. I did start a new campaign and it it did show the changes. I guess it only uses the starter pilot json to create them. I was experimenting with Dekker, Glitch, etc. Thanks

9

Using this in RogueTech version 1.0.3.9 for the first time. However, every-time that I add a mech either into storage or directly into the bay they always have something causing them to be invalid. Like adding a stormcrow prime directly into the bay everything in the cockpit is missing. Assemble three mech parts together and the machine is missing equipment or is damaged requiring parts. This is different behavior from let’s say BTA 3062 with your Save Editor from Nexus.

I take it adding a mech into storage then moving it into bay it’s supposed to be empty? It’s been such a long time I played the OG I don’t remember.

10

I’m at my wits end setting this up, i cannot find the save files for the life of me.

According to the various sources, including the one linked i should find them here:

  • C:\Users[YourUserName]\AppData\LocalLow\Harebrained Schemes\BATTLETECH
    But there are no save files in any of the folders i see.
  • C:\Program Files (x86)\Paradox Interactive\games\BATTLETECH\BattleTech_Data\output_log.txt
    This one doesn’t have the battletech folder, though i do have Stellaris and Hoi4 in there. (Location is different but it seems to be the correct folder referenced.
    ‘C:\Users\USER_ID\AppData\LocalLow\Harebrained Schemes\BattleTech\C#\SGS#’
    This one i follwed up until /C#/ which doesn’t exist.

I have found save files, they’re located here
C:/users/user_id/appdata/Local/Packages/ParadoxInteractive.Battletech-MainGame(manyletters)/SystemAppData/wgs/(a very long number string)/(very long letter/number string)/
In this folder there are many saves which are listed as combinations of letters and numbers which are just “files”. There is also a “container” file. I can’t open any of these using the save editor as they are. I CAN open them if i edit them to be a .sav file, however the game will no longer recognise them if i do.

I have the game on GamePass, but i’m just out of ideas. I’ve tried to find where gamepass saves are stored through google searches but i’ve found nothing.

1 Like
11

@JamieWolf it seems that GamePass repackages the entire game to be “Plug and Play” in a system not unlike Windows Metro apps.

@Fatherofwar could you state the exact location and filetype of your saves. When you say container files do you mean your saves are kept as XXXX.container files or do they have a different ending. Without this information, the save editor cannot be improved on as nobody else has gamepass.

1 Like
12

Does anyone know how to add rogue tech mechs like ones from the mods like super heavies. I can add ones from battle tech but none of the super heavies are on the list to add. Please help if anyone can

13

For the life of me I cannot find where my save files are located. Iv found my Battletech files but nowhere in there do I see the save files. Any advice?

No saved games in these locations
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\BATTLETECH
C:\Users\User_id\Documents\My Games\BattleTech

14

I play it on Game Pass. I think saves are at “C:\Users\AdamGTI8\AppData\Local\Packages\ParadoxInteractive.Battletech-MainGame_zfnrdv2de78ny\SystemAppData\wgs\0009000002ECABB9_00000000000000000000000071658B80\B437D95B027C48B3A387A941199DD05D”
Saves are in the attached screenshot
Screenshot_20221115_051312

Your tool does not open it.

15

That’s not the save. It’s too small at 3KB.

16

What is the file I scan to get the mechs. I found the battletech mechs but I was looking for the Rouge tech ones like a stone rhino or super heavies any help would be greatly appreciated

17

Yes, you’re right. After “tutorial” it started to work but game pass saves do not have extension .sav and they are still in that crappy folder path
So tool opens no extension files in those folders in my picture if I change file name to open to “*” then it shows all the files and I can pick one to open.
Same thing with saving changes, I have to remove extension so Game Pass version can load it

18

I don’t know, sorry. I just did few missions without adding new mechs. Still trying the ones game has already to setup my killing team.
I just change number of cash and weapons to make it easier

19

I just tried to scan the mod folder after the latest BTA 3062 15.0 release and it keeps saying it can’t read the mods JSON files. Any suggestions?

“Could not located JSON assets” is the exact error message.

Disregard. I appear to have been scanning the wrong folder. Whoops.

20

so i just tried to modify my save in bta 3062 and i have like 12 different saves, none of which are recent dates

Update 1
ok, i kinda understand what the process is now, but where are the json files located?

Update 2
Saves are located in Steam\steamapps\common\BATTLETECH\BTASaves\cloud\C0\SGS1

ps. if you go on a message board or such please reply your fix

22

This is an RT mechanic, you do not get fully repaired mechs when building them